Slide connection and stop for doors and the like



June 10, 1941.,

E. E. LAKEMACHER SLIDE CONNECTION AND STOP FOR DOORS AND THE LIKE Filed April 15, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS? June 10, 1941. LAKEMACHER 2,244,787

SLIDE CONNECTION AND STOP FOR DOORS AND THE LIKE Filed April 15, 1939 2 SheetS-Sheet'Z (ml 4/ mm \IIIHIHTITH llllll IN VENTOR. Q Elm/1? Za/cemac/zer,

ATTORNEY 9.

Patented June 10, 1941 SLIDE CONNECTION AND STOP FOR DOORS AND'THE LIKE Elmer E. Lakemacher, Chicago,1Ill., assignor to Norton Lasicr Company, Chime-0,111., a corporation of Illinois ApplieationA-pril 1-5, 1939; serial' Noi- 267,959

12 Claims.

- Thisinvention relates'to-a new and improved sl-ideconnector for use in connecting doorcontrolling mechanisms to I doors.

This'inven-tionfurther relates to a new and improved adjustable shock-absorbing stop for doors which may be used with theconnector of this invention to limit-the opening movement of thedoor with a buffing action, and which may benormall-y mounted'within'the top edge of the door'and have anoperative connection with the door frame.

As hereinafter illustrated, the-device ofthis invention is preferably positioned below the top edge of the door in order that it mayclea-r the door frame when the door is-in closed position.

In view of the fact that it is desirable that devices of this character he as inconspicuous as possible, it is an object of this invention to provide a high degree ofconcealment byinserting the slide connector ofthis invention in a slot or cut-out provided inthe top edge of the door anddisposed between the side faces of the door and having only the top'of the slot exposed.

I Itisa further object of this invention to provide a slide connector of the type described, which comprises a supporting frame and a removable slide bar which may be readily installed after the door is hung by merely inserting the frame into the open slot in the top edge of the door and thereafter inserting and locking the slide bar in'place. To this end, this invention relates particularly to a novel frame, slide bar and lock construction which permits the slide bar to'be firmly anchored in place or readily removed from the slot as occasion may demand, by very quick and simple operations. This characteristic is very desirable in installing slide connections for door controlling mechanism, for thereason that such controlling mechanism is usually installed by carpenters on doors which are already hung on the door frames. By this invention, it is made possible for the carpenters who are installing the door-controlling mechanism to secure the same in the proper manner andto thereafter effect the necessary connection to the door by the simple expediency of applying the slide framein the slot of the door, and to insert and lock the slide bar in its final position after it has been threaded through the slide member of the connecting mechanism. Furthermore, the lock may be disengaged at any time and the entire slide removed without in any way interfering with the door and door-controlling mechanism.

It is a further object of this invention to provide, as an additional feature of the connec tor here referred to, a novelshook-absorbing stop which likewise may be easil'y installed through the slot in the top edge of the door and readily adjusted tolimit the openingmovement of the door inany' desired position.

It-is a further object to provide'ashockabscrber which automatically adapts itself toslight variations in the alignment of the operating-arm.

It is another object to'provide a shock ab.- sorber which will operate efficientlywith aminimum amount of wear and strain on its various parts:

Other objects not specifically enumerated for this invention will readily appear to one skilled in the a-rtas" the following description proceeds.

In" the drawings- Figure 1 is-a perspective view of a slide-connector and anadjustable shockabsorbing stop constructed and installed in accordancewith this invention; a-portionof theface of 'the door be'ingbroken awayas indicated by the dotteddines;

Figure 2 is atopplan viewof the slide connector and shock absorbing stop installed in the top edge of a door;

Figure 3 is atop plan View, partly in cross section, of the slide connector and shock absorbing stop showing theposition of the ends-of the slide bar whenit isbeing installed within the door;

Figure 4 is a'sectional view taken on-the line 4"-4'of Figure 2; and

Figure- 5-is' a sectionalyiew taken on-the line 55of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, the bracket or frame- 9,- whiclr is substantially L-sha-ped in cross section, is positioned within the cut-out portion l l in the upper edge of the door H. The bracket may be formed by bending a single strip: of

metalinto an L-shape, having a base portion I0- and an upright portion I3. Continuations of the base and upright portions are bent upwardly and inwardly, respectively, to form the-endsupporting members M and l5, which may be welded together or otherwise suitably secured. The supporting members have perforations for receiving the cylindrical ends l6 and ll of the slide bar i8: The base member has-openingsato receive the screws [9 which secure it to the bottom of the cut-out portion'in the door.

The slide bar 18 may be of substantially square or other non-round cross section, and

the cylindrical end members l6- and H are ofv substantially less diameterthan the width of the guide bar 18-, so as to form shoulders 20 and 2!. The length of the end member [5 is substantially equal to the thickness of the supporting member 54, whereas the length of the end rriember ii is approximately twice the thickness of the supporting member I5; and for reasons hereinafter more fully pointed out, the overall length of the slide bar l8-that is, from the end of member iii to the end of member l'l-is approximately equal to the overall length of the bracket or frame 9.

Whereas the slide connector may be employed without embodying the adjustable shock ab sorbing stop, such a stop may be provided, and for this purpose the slide bar I8 may have threads 22 on the end thereof adjacent the hinge edge of the door, which threads are cut to receive an adjustable nut or stop 23. This stop may be screwed to various positions along the threaded portion of the bar, and for this purpose it is provided with a roughened outer surface which better adapts it for easy turning by the thumb and forefinger extended into the top opening of the slot in the top of the door.

A crosshead or slide 24 is slidably mounted on the bar i8 and is provided with bearing surfaces which conform to the cross sectional shape of the bar. The slide is provided with a spindle 25 on which an operating arm 26 is pivotally mounted, and a pin 21 holds the arm on the spindle. A coil spring 28 is mounted on the bar it between the adjustable nut 23 and the slide 24.

The upright portion [3 of the bracket or frame e is provided with an inwardly disposed finger 29 which may be formed by stamping or otherwise, and which is provided with an outer straight edge disposed in closed proximity to a flat face of the bar is for a purpose hereinafter more fully pointed out. The finger is positioned near the end of the bracket in order not to interfere with the movement of the slide 24. The purpose of this finger is to prevent the slide 24 from imparting a rolling or turning movement to the bar it on its cylindrical ends it and I! which are journaled in the supporting members M and i5, as the slide is moved back and forth by the arm 2E. There is, however, a small space between the end of the finger Z9 and the inner face of the bar it! which allows the bar to rotate slightly so as to automatically adjust itself to small variations in the alignment of the arm 2%.

Due to the fact that the arm 26 is connected to the slide 26 by means of the spindle 25 above the longitudinal axis of the bar it, the thrusts imparted to the slide by the arm would tend to roll th bar on its longitudinal axis if the finger 29 were not provided to function as described. In such event, all resistance to such rolling tendency would fall on the spindle 25 and would cause undue binding and wear on the spindle and cooperating arm bearing. Unusual thrusts would possibly cause permanent damage or breakage at this point. Thus it will be seen that by having the bar iii of non-round cross section and by providing the cooperating finger 28, the spindle25 and the associated arm bearing are spared such wear and damage, while at the same time slight variations are provided for.

The installation of the device consists of inserting the bracket or frame 9 within a channel out in the top edge of the door to a depth approximating the height of the upright portion l3. The bar 58 has not yet been inserted, and the screws 59 may be easily reached with a screwdriver. It will be noted, as shown in Figure 3, that a recess is provided in the door adjacent the supporting member [5 sufiiciently large to accommodate one-half the length of the cylindrical end H, which is inserted in the opening in the end member to a point where the shoulder 2i abuts the end member l5. The cylindrical end it is then in a position to be lowered within the bracket until it is opposite the opening in the supporting member [4 and may be easily inserted therein by moving the bar endwise. This leaves a space at the other end between the shoulder 2i and the supporting member 15 which is filled by a spring clip 30. This clip may be easily snapped off and on the end I! and prevents any endwise movement of the bar when in place. When the clip is removed, the bar may be quickly removed from the supporting members by moving it endwise to free the end Hi from its support and lifting it out. The clip is easily reached from the top. As shown in Figure 5, the inner face of the door is out down a slight amount along the top edge to accommodate the arm 26. Of course, the slide 24 is threaded on the bar l8 before the bar is installed. After the bar and slide have been mounted in place, the arm 26 may be quickly placed on the spindle 25 and anchored by the cotter pin 27.

In operation, as the door is opened the bar It moves with it, and the arm 26, which is secured at one end to the door frame, causes the slide 24 to travel on the bar toward the spring 28. The position of the spring and the resulting limit of movement of the door may be easily varied by screwing the adjustable stop one Way or the other. As the slide strikes the spring, which is backed up by the adjustable stop, the spring is compressed, thereby stopping the movement of the door with a bufiing action.

The non-circular cross section of the bar I8 and the corresponding shape of the slide 24 maintain the spindle 25 in an upright position during its course of movement. Were the bar and slide to be cylindrical in shape, the slide would tend to roll on the bar, causing a torsional shearing action on the spindle 25 by the arm 26. The structure disclosed eliminates this unnecessary wear and strain.

It will be further noted that this device may be assembled and adjusted without the aid of tools after the bracket has been secured to the door.

It is contemplated that the stop 23 may be employed without the shock absorbing spring if the buffing action is not required or if other means are employed to effect the buffing action.

What is claimed is:

1. In a door check, the combination of a slide bar having shoulders adjacent the ends thereof, means for supporting said bar, and a spring clip on said bar engaging said supporting means and one of said shoulders.

2. In a door check, the combination of a slide bar having a non-circular cross section, circular end portions on said bar, means for supporting said end portions, and a removable clip mounted on one of said end portions and engaging said supporting means.

3. A shock absorbing stop, comprising a frame, a bar supported by said frame adjacent its ends, removable means adjacent one end of said bar for maintaining it in supporting engagement with said frame, a stop adjustably mounted on said bar adjacent one end thereof, a slide mounted on-said bar, an operating arm pivotally connected to said slide, and a spring carried by said bar between said slide and stop.

4. A shock absorbing stop, comprising a frame, a bar having a non-circular cross section rotatably supported by said frame, said frame providing means for limiting the rotation of said bar, shock absorbing means associated with said bar, and means rotatably mounted on said bar for varying the position of said shock absorbing means.

5. In a door check, the combination of a frame, a slide bar supported by said frame and having limited longitudinal movement with respect thereto, and resilient means engaging said bar and said frame to prevent said longitudinal movement.

6. Means for connecting door-controlling mechanism to a door, comprising a frame adapted to be mounted in a slot in the top edge of the door, a slide bar having its ends mounted in said frame, said bar having a shoulder :at one end adapted to engage said frame when the bar is in final position so as to prevent endwise movement of said bar in one direction and said bar having a shoulder at its opposite end spaced from the associated portion of said frame, and a clip adapted to engage said bar occupying the space between said last-named shoulder and the associated portion of said frame whereby said bar is held against endwise movement in the opposite direction, said shoulder being so spaced that upon removal of said clip said bar may be withdrawn from said frame by endwise and then lifting movement.

7. Means for connecting door-controlling mechanism to a door, comprising a frame adapted to be mounted in a slot in the top edge of the door, a slide bar having its ends mounted in said frame, said bar having a shoulder at one end adapted to engage said frame when the bar is in final position so as to prevent endwise movement of said bar in one direction and said bar having a shoulder at its opposite end spaced from the associated portion of said frame, and a clip adapted to engage said bar occupying the space between said last-named shoulder and the associated portion of said frame whereby said bar is held against endwise movement in the opposite direction, said shoulder being so spaced that upon removal of said clip said bar may be withdrawn from said frame by endwise and then lifting movement, said clip being made of spring metal and provided with an engaging loop by which an accessible portion may be engaged to effect its withdrawal.

8. Means for connecting door-controlling mechanism to a door, comprising a frame adapted to be mounted in a slot in the top edge of the door, a slide bar having its ends mounted in said frame, said bar having a shoulder at one end adapted to engage said frame when the bar is in final position so as to prevent endwise movement of said bar in one direction and said bar having a shoulder at its opposite end spaced from. the associated portion of said frame, and a clip adapted to engage said bar occupying the space between said last-named shoulder and the associated portion of said frame whereby said bar is held against endwise movement in the opposite direction, said shoulder being so spaced that upon removal of said clip said bar may be withdrawn from said frame by endwise and then lifting movement, said bar being mounted for rotation on its longitudinal axis, and said frame having means to limit the rotation of said bar.

9. In combination with a door and door frame, a slide connection between said door and door frame comprising a slide bar mounted in the top edge of said door, a slide mounted on said bar having an upstanding spindle, an arm connected to the door frame and pivotally mounted on said spindle, said bar being capable of limited rotary movement on its longitudinal axis, and means carried by said door independently of said spindle for limiting such rotary movement.

10. Means for connecting a door member to a door frame member, comprising spaced supports on one of said members, a slide bar mounted thereon having end portions for engaging said supports and adapted for longitudinal movement with respect to said supports for engaging and disengaging one of said end portions from one of said supports while the other remains engaged, removable means for -preventing such longitudinal movement, a slide mounted on said bar, and an arm for connecting said slide to the other of said members.

11. Means for connecting a door member to a door frame member comprising a slide bar, means for rotatably supporting said bar on one of said members, means for limiting the rotation of said bar, :a slide mounted on said bar, and an arm for connecting said slide to the other of said members.

12. Means for connecting a door member to a door frame member comprising a slide bar, means for removably supporting said bar on one of said members and having limited longitudinal movement with respect thereto, means for preventing said longitudinal movement and for maintaining said bar in supporting engagement with said supporting means, a slide mounted on said bar, and an arm for connecting said slide to the other of said members.

ELMER E. LAKE-MACHER. 

